Rabies risk assessment guide
Use this decision tree to help decide what to do when a domestic animal has been exposed to a potentially rabid animal. This information is for veterinarians and veterinary staff.
Overview
This decision tree helps determine the potential risk and appropriate action to take when a domestic animal (such as a pet, livestock or working animal) has been exposed to a potentially rabid animal.
Animal owners
If you’re an animal owner or caretaker, contact your veterinarian if your animal:
- is acting strangely
- may have been exposed to rabies
Decision tree
As a veterinarian or veterinary staff, you may use this decision tree when you receive a report of domestic animal exposure to a potentially rabid animal. It could be a report on a single animal or a herd.
- Question 1: Was there any human exposure (for example, bite, scratch, orally medicating a neurologic animal)?
- If yes, refer to local public health unit for risk assessment on human exposure (risk assessment for animals will occur after public health assessment).
- If no, continue to question 2.
- Question 2: Did a category 2 or higher exposure occur? Refer to categories of exposure.
- If no, there is negligible risk. Recommend a rabies vaccination if the animal is not up-to-date.
- If yes or maybe, continue to question 3.
- Question 3: Is the offending animal a rabies reservoir species (that is, a bat, raccoon, skunk or fox)?
- If yes, continue to questions 4 to 6.
- If no, continue to question 7.
- Question 4: What is the local epidemiology of rabies? Did the exposure occur in a higher-risk area for the reservoir species?
- Question 5: Was the animal displaying abnormal behaviour or neurologic signs?
- Question 6: Was the offending animal unprovoked? Was the offending animal's behaviour abnormal considering the situation?
- If yes to all questions 4 to 6, then there is significant risk. Recommend testing if possible, or post-exposure management options if testing is not possible or if test is positive. Recommend a rabies vaccination within 7 days of the incident.
- If yes to one or two of questions 4 to 6, there is increased risk. Consider testing if possible, or post-exposure management options if testing not possible. Recommend rabies vaccination within 7 days of the incident.
- If no to questions 4 to 6, there is negligible risk. Recommend rabies vaccination if the animal is not up-to-date.
- Question 7: Was the animal displaying abnormal behaviour or neurologic signs consistent with rabies?
- If yes, there is increased risk. Consider testing or post-exposure management. Recommend rabies vaccination within 7 days of the incident.
- If no, continue to question 8.
- Question 8: Does local rabies epidemiology support an increased risk of rabies in the offending species?
- If yes, there is increased risk. Consider testing or post-exposure management. Recommend rabies vaccination within 7 days of the incident.
- If no, there is negligible risk. Recommend rabies vaccination if the animal is not up-to-date.
Categories of exposure
The World Health Organization’s categories of exposure are:
- Category 1: touched or licked on intact skin by offending animal.
- Category 2: nibbled, minor skin lesions in contact with saliva of offending animal.
- Category 3: bitten, deep scratches, broken skin or mucus membranes in contact with saliva of offending animal.
Contact us
If you, as a veterinarian or veterinary clinic staff, have questions about rabies response procedures in general, call our Agricultural Information Contact Centre at
If you need help with a specific case, contact us through the rabies response request form.